A Work in Progress….

Exodus 11:6 There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 

My faith allows me to trust that God is working all things for my good and His glory, even if it doesn’t make sense. But I really struggle with the plagues in general and this final plague specifically. I do not believe that God is cruel. I believe that He is loving and compassionate, so the death of so many, especially innocent babies, is really hard for me to comprehend.

Exodus 11:7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 

The only way I can reconcile the wrath of the Old Testament God and the love of the God I believe in is the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son, God made flesh. I’ve always said that it’s hard to hate someone when You try to find common ground, and I think Jesus, God made flesh, opened up a new way for all of us. Thank You, Jesus.

Exodus 11:8 All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

Precious Savior, There are many parts of the Bible where I struggle because of the wrath, violence, and brutality. Thank You for the love, grace, and compassion of Jesus. Thank You for the trust, the faith, that You are working all things for our good and Your glory–even when I don’t understand, even when I am afraid. Amen.

Exodus 11:9-10 The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 10:26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”

Holy Father, Thank you that some mornings I can feel Your presence so clearly, so easily. I know You are with me, I hear Your still, small voice whispering to my heart, I understand what You want me to see in that scripture in that moment. Thank You.

Exodus 10:27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 

Loving God, Thank You that on the days when I have too much swirling through my mind, when my thoughts won’t settle, when my heart can’t hear, You cover me with grace, compassion, and love, not with anger, bitterness, disgust. Thank You.

Exodus 10:28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.”

Precious Savior, You know my heart, my worries, bitterness, anxiety, fear. Thank You for loving me, even when I have trouble loving myself, especially then. Thank You that I know my worth in You, even when I struggle. Thank You. Amen.

Exodus 10:29 “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.”

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 10:22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 

Pharaoh likes to be in control, and he is used to being the one in control. Even now, with no light for three days, Pharaoh is trying to remain in control by dictating the conditions for the Israelites’ worship of the Lord.

Exodus 10:23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

If there’s one thing I know about the need to be in control, it is that trying to stay in control can be exhausting, but it feels absolutely necessary. However, at this point in my life, I know that the only thing that is necessary is surrender to God–laying down my pride and need for control and allowing Him to use my life for my good and His glory.

Exodus 10:24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”

Precious Savior, In Matthew 11:28 You promise, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Thank You for the invitation and the promise. Help me to surrender control to Your capable hands and wrap myself in Your peace. Amen.

Exodus 10:25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 10:18 Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 

Darkness–physical, spiritual, emotional–is so very hard for me, for many. Just the words “darkness that can be felt” make me shudder. I need light in my life. Like many, this time change, with darkness arriving earlier and earlier, is so hard on my psyche.

Exodus 10:19 And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. 

And I am reminded how even a flicker of light in the darkness–a candle flame, a pinprick of starlight in the vast night sky–can disrupt the darkness, infusing the hopeless with hope. Again, for me, for many, this is so very crucial.

Exodus 10:20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

Precious Savior, Thank You for being the Light in our darkness–always. Help us to seek You, to see You, to find hope in You, no matter how dark things appear. Help us, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 10:21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 10:9 Moses answered, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord.”

I am a planner, an organizer. Give me a job to do, let me know if you have a specific way you want it done or if I get to figure out the fine points, and It. Will. Get. Done! When my children were small and life needed to run smoothly, these traits were incredibly helpful.

Exodus 10:10 Pharaoh said, “The Lord be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. 

But now that my children are finding their feet in the adult world, I find that I have to reign those tendencies back when it comes to them and their lives. The “this is the way that needs to get done, here’s how you need to go about it” gene is strong, and I have to actively work through what’s mine to control and what’s theirs to figure out. At times it’s more difficult than I’d like to admit.

Exodus 10:11 No! Have only the men go and worship the Lord, since that’s what you have been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.

Precious Savior, Thank You for allowing me to see that when the planner/organizer gene goes unchecked, things can get out of control. Help me to see what’s mine to do and to do those things to the best of my ability. Help me to love and support others as they do what You have given them to do. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 10:12 And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.”

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 9:32 The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)

I know I am guilty, more than once in my life, of saying something to the effect of “Lord, If You will only _________ (start this thing, stop this thing, show up in this situation), I will ________ (do this thing, etc), only to completely forget what I promised to do when He shows up in my situation.

Exodus 9:33 Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. 

I am not proud of that fact, and I’d like to think I’ve gotten better about not forgetting the things I promise when He shows up in my situations. I’ve also learned that God doesn’t always “calm the storm,” if you will. Sometimes He just walks beside me, holding me, as I suffer through the storm.

Exodus 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I make promises that I forget or neglect once You show up and show out in my circumstances. Help me to do better. Thank You for Your grace, mercy, and compassion. Always. Help me to draw closer to You with my whole heart. Amen.

Exodus 9:35 So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.

Have a blessed day.

Exodus 9:29a Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. 

Moses knows that Pharaoh is not being sincere (see v 30), yet he promises to pray to the Lord for him anyway. I wonder why? In hopes Pharaoh will change his mind after all? Because this is what God wants of him? Something else altogether?

Exodus 9:29b The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. 

I find a person’s motivations incredibly interesting, but ultimately, it’s the state of their heart that God is concerned with. And God knows Pharaoh’s heart is still not willing to accept Him and His authority yet. This reconning is not over.

Exodus 9:30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the compassion You showed Pharaoh during this time. Thank You for the mercy, grace, and compassion that You show us as well. Forgive me for my stubbornness. Help me to draw closer to You. Amen.

Exodus 9:31 (The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom.

Have a blessed day.